The Padawan and the Princess
by TheOriginalRhi
Summary: Pre-TPM/JA era. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are called out on a simple mission, but things are not always as they seem and the Force has a couple of lessons in store for our young Padawan. A short, light and somewhat fluffy story. Complete.
1. One

**The Padawan and the Princess**

**Part One**

_It has been a long time since I last wrote, and even longer since I last published something on here, but I got bitten by the bug again now that my kids are old enough to watch Star Wars and it reminded me how much I used to enjoy reading and writing in this fandom – not that I ever published a lot, but there are a lot of unfinished stories floating around on my laptop._

_This fic is a relatively light and fluffy one, as a bit of a segue away from a longer, much darker one I'm currently writing. I hope you enjoy it. Part two will be posted next week sometime._

-X-X-X-X-

"Kriff it!" Obi-Wan exclaimed and dropped his datapad roughly on the couch next to him before rubbing his hands over his face in frustration.

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow at the teenager from across the common room where he was tending to one of his plants.

Obi-Wan caught Qui-Gon's gaze and allowed the flare of frustration to dissipate with a long exhale which was most definitely not a sigh.

"Problem my young Padawan?" Qui-Gon asked, placing the watering can on the table so he could attend fully to his apprentice.

"Hyperspace calculus is for droids." The teenager griped. He picked up the datapad and displayed it to the Jedi master. "This just doesn't make sense, and we have a test coming up soon and if I fail, I will have to repeat, which will put me behind!" This was a disturbing thought for the diligent padawan.

"Let me see." Qui-Gon said calmly, taking the proffered datapad. Secretly, he had to agree with his padawan, but he wasn't going to mention that. It would do good for Obi-Wan to struggle with his learning for once as he typically got top marks with minimal effort.

Qui-Gon explained the problem to the teenager, walking him through the problem step by step. "And the answer is 3.6 parsecs." He looked up at Obi-Wan who was looking at him dubiously. Qui-Gon placed the datapad down on the table. "Why don't you take the evening off to clear your mind. You've been working hard recently and I'm sure your friends would like to see you."

Obi-Wan's face lit up cautiously. "But I really do need to complete this work."

"I'm not going to offer it again." Qui-Gon shrugged. "You either go now or you spend the evening moping around with the mathematics."

"Thank you, Master." He said, rising quickly from the couch and heading straight out of the apartment, the door hissing closed behind him as he left.

Qui-Gon chuckled softly to himself and returned to tending his plants.

-X-X-X-X-

Obi-Wan returned to their quarters later that evening after having dinner with Garen and Bant in the refectory and then proceeding to hand Garen his behind on a platter in the junior padawan sparring dojo. He hadn't come out unscathed, however, and was nursing a mildly sprained wrist from a fall that had gone wrong, and a limp courtesy of a solid kick to the shin that was starting to bruise up nicely. But all in all, a solid victory, some much needed physical exercise and nothing that a little bit of Force healing wouldn't fix.

"Ah, there you are, Padawan. Spent the evening sparring, I see." Qui-Gon greeted.

Obi-Wan grinned. "You should have seen the other guy." He quipped.

"I don't doubt that Garen deserved it." Qui-Gon said, knowing well the reputation of Obi-Wan's close friend and the friendly rivalry the two boys had on the sparring floor. "The council has been in touch, they have a mission for us."

Obi-Wan grinned, at last they would get to do something interesting - he was not very good at sitting around waiting for action...and perhaps he would be able to get out of his hyperspace calculus test.

"A Jedi does not crave adventure." Qui-Gon commented, accurately guessing at his apprentice's thoughts.

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan said, quickly tamping down his excitement and carefully schooling his features into a calm expression.

"And you need not worry, the mission will be short and you will be back in time for your test."

Obi-Wan's face fell but he quickly recomposed himself. "Yes, Master."

Qui-Gon suppressed a smile far more effectively than his student had just did, the benefit of years of experience. "You'd better get some rest, we are expected to meet with the council first thing in the morning and will be leaving straight afterwards."

-X-X-X-X-

Obi-Wan was awoken the next morning by his blankets levitating themselves up off his body.

"Frivolous use of the force, Master. What would the council say?" He mumbled sleepily into his pillow.

"Time to get up, Padawan mine." Qui-Gon said gently, placing a cup of tea on the teenager's desk. He was well aware that his apprentice was definitely not a morning person, so despite taking a moderate measure of joy in forcing his reluctant padawan out of bed so early, he would also willingly forego the usual ritual of his padawan preparing the morning beverages.

Obi-Wan groaned but nevertheless did as he was instructed and in five minutes he had visited the 'fresher, dressed, and straightened his bedding. His small travel bag had been packed the night before and he placed this on top of his bed.

The two Jedi made their way to the Council chambers, the younger following obediently in the wake of the elder, and were summoned in immediately upon their arrival.

Visiting the Council chambers was never an easy task even for the most seasoned Jedi. The Force hummed almost audibly with the combined presence and insight of twelve Jedi masters. Obi-Wan had been into the chambers a number of times now, but the intimidation he felt had not lessened. He knew better than to fidget or shift uncomfortably, however he obviously did not have full control over his reactions yet as Qui-Gon presently settled a large comforting hand over his shoulder, sending a pulse of calm through their bond to him. He felt a flash of embarrassment but quickly released this to the Force as he attempted to appear the perfect example of a serene Jedi padawan.

"We have received a summons from the Namorean governing body, requesting Jedi assistance." Mace Windu began. "I believe that you are familiar with the world."

Qui-Gon nodded in affirmation. "I assisted with the renewal of the treaty between the two major kingdoms a few years ago."

"Coming up ten years ago." Mace corrected. Obi-Wan thought be glimpsed a glimmer of amusement in the strict Councilman's eye as he referenced the time period that had passed, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "As per tradition, they have requested Jedi oversight for the renewal of their treaty."

"We would be honoured to assist."

"Your transport has been booked and your itinerary will be forwarded to you. You will leave as soon as you are ready. May the Force be with you."

-X-X-X-X-

After quickly stopping back at their quarters to pick up their travel bags, the two Jedi arrived at the allocated docking station and were shown to their transport by the droid manager. It was a small craft but had all the amenities they required for a short flight, including two small bunk beds which doubled as couches, a small 'fresher and a tiny kitchenette.

"You may pilot, Padawan." Qui-Gon said, motioning to the pilot's seat while he sat down in the co-pilot's seat, extending out his long legs and crossing them at the ankles.

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan said obediently, sitting down and making the appropriate preparations. They were presently airborne and after a short conversation with Coruscant Traffic Patrol to attain clearance, they were manoeuvring their way to the outward bound airlane where the blue skies gradually gave way to the inky black of space. Once an appropriate distance away from the planet, Obi-Wan entered the coordinates that he had been provided into the navigation system and waited while it performed the calculations. "Pffft, hyperspace calculus, my arse." he muttered under his breath, pretending not to notice the raised eyebrow on the Jedi master sitting alongside him.

"Entering hyperspace, Master." Obi-Wan said quickly, before the elder Jedi could comment on his previous statement and pressed the final button in the sequence to propel the spacecraft into light speed. The craft lurched as the hyperdrive engaged and the stars all around them merged into a blurred maelstrom of light. "Estimated arrival time in six and a half standard hours."

"Thank you, Padawan. Now, may I suggest some hyperspace calculus study - I do not believe your rear end is sufficiently qualified for the task." Qui-Gon replied nonchalantly.

"Should I not spend this time researching Namore?" Obi-Wan suggested, as this was typically what Qui-Gon suggested he do when travelling to a new world.

"It will not be a difficult mission." Qui-Gon replied. "And I believe your calculus is more important at this present moment."

Obi-Wan managed - barely - to suppress a groan, although his displeasure was clearly evident. "Yes, Master." He said, shoulders dropping as he headed towards the small bunk room at the rear of the ship, not hearing the suppressed chuckle, nor the amused smile that graced the Jedi master's face.

-X-X-X-X-

Shortly before their jump out of hyperspace, the reminder system beeped a fifteen minute warning, and Obi-Wan gratefully dropped the datapad onto the bunk next to where he had been sitting. He had made some progress with his studies, although not as much as he had liked. He had also broken up his study with some much needed centering meditation about halfway through.

"I hope your studies were fruitful." Qui-Gon commented as Obi-Wan re-entered the cockpit.

"As fruity as a Carmandi dancing hat." Obi-Wan quipped wryly, resuming his position in the pilot's seat.

They descended through the atmosphere and Qui-Gon directed Obi-Wan to touch down on a landing pad in a grassy field a good distance away from the city he could see in the distance.

Upon completing the landing sequence and running the engines through their cooling process, Obi-Wan opened the boarding ramp, which lowered down to the ground with a loud hiss. He and Qui-Gon passed through the bunk room, gathered their small travel bags and exited the craft.

Obi-Wan took the opportunity to have a look around his surroundings. The landing pad was made of some kind of cobbled duracrete situated in a field of long grass. Behind them in the distance was a forest and to their left what looked like cultivated fields. He could see small figures in the distance who appeared to be working the field. To their right was a river. The world was of temperate climate and one could easily feel the Living Force flowing easily here, drifting on the soft breeze and swirling around to encompass the two Jedi, revitalising them after their space flight as they waited on the landing pad to be met by their contact.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, Obi-Wan began shifting, peering into the distance to see if anyone was coming.

"Patience, young one." Qui-Gon's deep voice reminded him softly.

Obi-Wan breathed out a deep calming breath and tucked his hands into opposite sleeves, appearing outwardly calm and patient, while his fingers fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve.

This did not fool Qui-Gon for a second, however he knew the boy was making an effort, so he allowed his active young apprentice this small concession.

"I think I can see something coming." Obi-Wan said after another few minutes of waiting, frowning as he tried to make out the shape, which was proving difficult even with his Force-enhanced vision. "But I do not recognise this type of transport."

"I'm sure you will become well acquainted with it presently." Qui-Gon commented.

The transport drew closer and finally Obi-Wan was able to make out the shape. He had not ever seen transport like this other than in pictures in his history books. "Master, are those...equi?" He asked in disbelief.

Qui-Gon chuckled quietly at his apprentice's reaction. "Yes, Obi-Wan, Namore is one of the only worlds where equi still exist and are utilised in their everyday life. They are a valued and integral part of the Namorean society."

Obi-Wan watched with interest as the transport drew closer. There were two equi pulling what appeared to be a wooden wheeled carriage and this was flanked by four more equi with an armoured rider atop each one. There was a man sitting on a small seat at the front who appeared to be directing the equi by the means of straps attached to a harnessing system. The transport pulled up at the edge of the landing pad and the coachman leapt down from his perch and placed a step on the ground before opening the wooden door.

The four riders watched vigilantly as a short human man emerged from the carriage, stepping delicately down to the landing pad, where he approached the two Jedi. The dark haired man was wearing a purple tunic over beige pants, and topped by a red cape with a fur-lined hood.

"Welcome back to Namore!" The man exclaimed enthusiastically. "It is a pleasure to have the esteemed Jedi present on our world once again."

Both Jedi bowed deeply. "Thank you, King Jondar, it is a pleasure to see you once again. This is my apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi. We are pleased that we may be of service." Qui-Gon responded.

King Jondar turned and re-entered the carriage, motioning for the Jedi to follow along. Qui-Gon entered first, ducking his head under the low doorframe and Obi-Wan followed, nestling himself on the narrow seat next to his master.

The trip back was mostly in silence, the noise of the wheels upon the uneven terrain, the creaking of the wood as the carriage lurched about, the nickering and neighing of the equi and the occasional shouts of the coachman rendering conversation difficult. Obi-Wan moved the red velvety window drape out of the way with his finger and looked out the surroundings. He couldn't see much, however as he was positioned facing backwards, he could only see back to where they were coming from as well as an occasional glimpse of an equus and its rider and an occasional dwelling in the distance. He did, however, quite quickly come to understand why it had taken so long for the transport to arrive in the first place, this was definitely not the fastest mode of transportation.

Patience. Qui-Gon spoke through their bond and accompanied this with a steadying hand on his Padawan's knee. Obi-Wan belatedly realised that he had been bouncing his leg and immediately ceased the movement, letting out a slow calming breath and finding his centre. He felt a warm trickle of approval from Qui-Gon through their bond and was determined to maintain the proper serene facade appropriate for a Jedi for the rest of the trip.

Finally they arrived at their destination and the carriage stopped with a lurch. A few moments later, the door opened and King Jondar rose and exited the carriage, followed by Qui-Gon and lastly Obi-Wan. They had stopped outside the gates of a large fortress made of stone. There was a woman and five children lined up outside.

"Welcome to Riverhaven Castelle." King Jondar said. "This is my wife, Queen Catrine, and my children, Princess Zaya, Prince Tomos, Princess Elbie, Princess Lilen and Prince Davan."

Qui-Gon greeted each member of the royal family and Obi-Wan followed, imitating his master perfectly.

"I will get my attendant to show you to your quarters." King Jondar said, gesturing towards a young woman dressed in a plain white tunic standing discretely out of the way. She stepped forward upon this announcement. "Feel free to wander about the grounds at your leisure. I will have someone fetch you for evening meal."

-X-X-X-X-

The Jedi dropped their small packs in their allocated rooms. Their extravagantly decorated rooms were next to each other and Obi-Wan quickly discovered that there was an adjoining passageway between the two, elegantly concealed on either end beneath a thick tapestry.

Obi-Wan could barely contain his awe at the opulence of the rooms, a luxury he was most definitely not accustomed to.

"Don't get used to it." Qui-Gon warned lightly, amused by Obi-Wan's reaction. "This is not a typical experience."

"Yes, master." Obi-Wan replied obediently, restraining his enthusiasm and withdrawing back down to his solemn facade.

"Might I suggest we take a walk through the gardens and along the river." Qui-Gon said, knowing that after the length of travel they had done that day, his young apprentice would need to burn off some of his abundant energy. "We may even come across a place in which we could practice some kata." He added, knowing that this would be very much welcomed by Obi-Wan.

"Yes, master." Obi-Wan replied. He maintained his outwardly calm appearance, but his pleasure and anticipation was evident through their bond.

"Let's not delay then." Qui-Gon said, leading the way down the hallway, Obi-Wan falling into step in a Padawan's customary position, behind and slightly to the side, lengthening out his stride to match his master's.

Qui-Gon found his way to the gardens easily and the two Jedi walked along the paths, weaving in and around the intricately manicured gardens and nodding polite greetings to others also wandering the paths, until they reached an archway constructed of two living trees trained to weave around each other. Beyond this, the path widened into a large field alongside the river.

Obi-Wan looked up at Qui-Gon, hope in his eyes. Qui-Gon, knowing exactly what Obi-Wan was hoping for, smiled an amused smile back at his apprentice and unclipped his lightsaber from his belt. Obi-Wan had his lightsaber in his hand in a flash, ready and waiting for his next instruction.

"Third kata. Together."

Both lightsabers ignited in unison with the characteristic hum. The two Jedi took a moment to centre themselves and lower their mental shields, letting the Force flow freely between them. Without a word, they both started moving, flowing through the movements of the kata in complete synchronisation with each other. The only apparent difference between the two Jedi was in the slightly more compact moves of Obi-Wan as he did not have quite the same height or reach as the taller Jedi, although he worked hard to compensate for this.

They finished the third kata flawlessly and moved onto the fourth. The kata was still relatively new to the younger Jedi and his movements were not quite as smooth and flowing, however he was determined to not just succeed, but to excel at the art form so he practiced the difficult portions over and over. Qui-Gon stepped back into his instructor role and with his guidance, Obi-Wan had mastered the first half of the kata and was on his way to perfecting the second half.

"You have done well, Padawan." Qui-Gon complimented the perspiring and heavily breathing boy.

Obi-Wan smiled, exhausted but pleased. "Thank you, Master."

"Do you think you have some energy in you for a short spar?"

"Of course, Master." Obi-Wan replied quickly, never turning down an opportunity to spar. He took a quick re-centering breath and sank into his beginning stance.

Qui-Gon mirrored Obi-Wan's stance then suddenly began the duel with a fierce volley of strikes, all of which Obi-Wan successfully blocked and parried. He ducked under a wider swing, rolling across the ground and leaping to his feet, striking back at his master, who effortlessly deflected the strike and pushed back, forcing Obi-Wan to again change his position.

The duel went on, green and blue sabers flashing and clashing, the distinctive smell of ozone thickly hanging in the air, exchanging strikes, parries, thrusts and feints. In amongst the battle, Obi-Wan soon became aware of another presence nearby. He tried to acknowledge it and block it out as he did not sense danger from it, however he was fatigued and this was not an easy task. And it seemed somewhat...important. Something significant. As he blocked Qui-Gon's next blow, his eyes flicked over to where he thought he felt the presence to see what was distracting him so, however this momentary lapse in concentration was his undoing and he somehow found himself flat on his back on the ground, disarmed, and with the tip of a green lightsaber at his throat.

"I yield." Obi-Wan wheezed out in between heaving breaths. The fall had knocked the wind out of him.

Qui-Gon's lightsaber retracted with a snap and the tall man knelt down beside Obi-Wan, helping him up into a sitting position. "Breathe." He instructed. "Slowly and deeply."

Obi-Wan quickly managed to regain control over his breathing and after a few moments, he was ready to stand. Qui-Gon extended a hand and helped pull his apprentice to his slightly unsteady with fatigue feet.

Obi-Wan again looked over at where he had felt the presence earlier, but there was no one there and the feeling had disappeared. He frowned, wondering what the significance was, other than to allow Qui-Gon to deal the finishing blow in their duel.

"Do not let yourself be distracted in battle, young one." Qui-Gon advised.

"Yes, master." Obi-Wan replied, looking downward, disappointment evident in his voice.

Qui-Gon gently cupped the boy's chin and raised his head to look into the boy's startlingly blue eyes. "You fought well, Padawan." He said firmly in an attempt to get the chronically self-doubting boy to believe his words. "In time you will learn how to block distractions out so they do not compromise you."

"Yes, master." Came the dutiful reply.

"Come, lets get cleaned up. The sun is setting and we will be summoned for evening meal soon."

-X-X-X-X-

Obi-Wan sat at his allocated seat at the large dining table and watched his master sit at his own seat. Right down the other end of the table. Qui-Gon was sitting next to the king, while Obi-Wan was placed sitting with the royal children. He did not let his disappointment show outwardly, however he felt it keenly inside.

He nodded politely in greeting to Princess Zaya, who he was seated beside, and her four other younger siblings, sitting in a line around the end of the table.

"Hello." Zaya said shyly. The dark haired girl seemed to be about the same age as Obi-Wan.

"Good evening, Princess." Obi-Wan responded, a picture of perfect Jedi manners.

"Are you enjoying yourself time here on Namore?" She replied, demonstrating her own perfect royal manners.

"It is a beautiful place."

Their conversation was cut off from then, as servers came through the door bearing a multitude of platters of delicious smelling food. Obi-Wan's eyes widened and his perpetually hungry adolescent stomach growled.

The king rose. "I'd like to extend a warm welcome to the Jedi ambassadors who are joining us here tonight. May your time on Namore be pleasant. I'd like to thank the gods for providing the food, and also those who have made and served it. May all your bellies be satisfied by the bounty we have before us. Let's eat!"

The end of Obi-Wan's table was a flurry of arms reaching across to the platters at the centre of the table as the four younger children helped themselves to the food. A woman who he assumed was their carer attempted to calm matters and introduce some semblance of order, which she managed to eventually. He felt surprise at how the children behaved, there would never have been such a fuss made by the children in the temple. But then perhaps this was normal and the younglings in the temple were not. He had limited reference for typical childhood behaviour.

"Please excuse my siblings, they are overindulged and feral." Zaya said, mild annoyance in her tone.

So it was not normal then.

"Not to worry." Obi-Wan replied. "It looks as if the coast is now clear, your chances of losing a limb are significantly decreased."

Zaya giggled. "And I have my own Jedi protection in case of an ambush."

Obi-Wan smothered a smile and bowed his head briefly. "I am at your service, Princess." He replied seriously, the cheeky glint in his eye the only giveaway of his amusement. Perhaps this was not such a bad place to sit after all. The company seemed pleasant enough.

The meal was absolutely delicious and Obi-Wan's stomach was pleasantly satisfied with its assortment of meats, vegetables and breads. The platters and dirtied plates and utensils were cleared away by the serving staff and were quickly replaced by a much smaller but no less impressive selection of sweet tarts.

Temple food did not usually include such extravagance, it was designed to meet the nutritional needs of the many different species which existed there, and none of the many species required superfluous amounts of sweet foods.

Obi-Wan looked hesitantly at his master sitting at the other end of the room, a tentative questioning expression on his face.

Qui-Gon inclined his head slightly, giving his padawan permission, but the returning expression made it clear that such sampling should be done in moderation.

"Which do you recommend?" Obi-Wan asked Zaya.

"Definitely the muja one." She said. She reached forward and picked up one with the serving tongs and deposited it on Obi-Wan's plate, then served herself one. "You have to be quick around here otherwise Tomos will eat them all." She indicated to one of her younger brothers.

Obi-Wan devoured the delicious sweet treat far too quickly, shamelessly licking the remnants of the sticky delicacy off his fingers. "That was the best thing I've ever tasted." He declared.

Zaya giggled and hid a smile behind her hand. "It's my favourite too."

The table was cleared again and Zaya's younger siblings were ushered out of the room, presumably to clean up and prepare themselves for sleep. Qui-Gon was deep in conversation with the king and other men at the other end of the table. Obi-Wan was not sure what he was expected to do.

Zaya seemed to be in a similar conundrum and fidgeted nervously with the edge of the tablecloth for a moment. "Would you like a tour of the castelle and gardens?" She asked shyly.

Obi-Wan hesitated. He was enjoying the company of the princess and was keen to spend more time with her. But this was probably something he should ask Qui-Gon for permission for, so he tentatively sent a questioning tendril down their bond.

Qui-Gon's eyes raised to look at his padawan.

Princess Zaya has offered to show me around the castelle and gardens. May I accompany her?

Qui-Gon lifted an eyebrow ever so slightly, observing the two young teenagers. You may, however I expect you to be mindful.

Yes, Master.

"Yes, I would like that." Obi-Wan replied, smiling at his companion.

The teenagers exited the room and Zaya gave Obi-Wan a thorough tour of the castelle, dropping in imaginative stories of old and tidbits of historical fact as they went. They completed the tour of inside and exited into the gardens, walking around the same winding paths as he had earlier that day until they reached the open clearing where he and Qui-Gon had practiced their kata and sparred.

"I saw you here earlier. You were amazing." Zaya commented.

Obi-Wan looked at her with surprise. "It was you that I sensed." He commented, remembering the presence he felt.

Zaya's brows furrowed, not understanding the Jedi's statement.

"I felt you watching me when I was sparring. It was a little...distracting." He felt a flush of embarrassment as he realised she would've seen him just at the moment he was defeated and his subsequent winding and struggle to regain his breath.

Zaya's cheeks blushed slightly and she looked down. "I'm sorry."

Obi-Wan felt a pang of guilt, he had not meant to offend the girl. "It's not your fault." He said. "Heightened senses are a part of being a Jedi. I must learn how to manage distractions otherwise I would be a liability in a real situation. So really it was just another learning experience for me."

"Oh." Came the soft answer.

They walked in companionable silence for another minute, bringing them clear across the field and at the beginning of the trail alongside the river. The moon was full and hung in the sky like a lamp, reflecting on the river and lighting their way as they walked slowly down the path, enjoying each other's company. The only noise they could hear was the burbling of the calm river, the chirping of nocturnal bird life and insects, their quiet footsteps and the sound of Zaya's full length dress swishing lightly along the grass with each step that she took.

"What's it like being a Jedi?" Zaya asked.

Obi-Wan found he did not know how to answer that question. He had never known any different. "I don't know." He answered lamely. "What's it like being a princess?" He asked back, slight amusement colouring his tone as he used his master's common tactic of answering a question with another question.

Zaya giggled. "I don't know." She replied, using his words. "All I know is there's far too much politics."

Obi-Wan smiled, amused. "I can definitely agree with that." He then decided to answer her original question the best he could. "Being a Jedi...it's the only way of life I've known. I know it's vastly different to how most others live, but I know no different. I enjoy it though. It's not burdensome. I just hope that through my training I am able to bring peace to the people I serve and honour to my Master, the Order and the Force."

"What is the Force?" Came the curious question. By now, they had stopped walking and Zaya had turned to face the young Jedi, interested in his answer.

"The Force is everywhere and in everything. Some people are born with the ability to feel its presence and harness its power. The Force naturally enhances all of a Force-sensitive person's senses and abilities and with training, they can learn how to control the Force." Obi-Wan explained briefly, demonstrating his ability by levitating a bunch of pebbles off the ground around them. An action technically deemed as frivolous, and possibly ostentatious, but there was no one else around to care.

Zaya giggled as the rocks floated disconcertingly around her. "That's amazing." She whispered. She suddenly found that she also felt like she was floating, despite her feet still being firmly on the ground.

Obi-Wan, acting without thought, used the Force to pluck a flower from a nearby bush and levitated it towards the young princess, who shyly reached out and took the yellow flower from midair. She inhaled the sweet scent of the flower, then looked up bashfully at her companion.

The draw suddenly became too much to bear. Neither was sure who made the first move, however Obi-Wan found his head dipped towards the beautiful princess and her soft lips were upon his own. Her hands were pressed against his chest for balance as she tip toed and his hand slipped around behind her back to steady her.

After a span of time which felt like an eternity, yet far too short at the same time, Obi-Wan felt himself snap back to his senses. He pulled away, ensuring that the princess was also steady herself before stepping back, putting some much needed space between them.

"I'm s-sorry." He stammered, still feeling the ghost of her soft lips against his.

Zaya frowned. "I'm not." She said firmly.

"You see, Jedi...well we aren't supposed to have...attachments." He explained.

"Well, I'm not proposing betrothal." Zaya shot back, crossing her arms across her chest.

Obi-Wan laughed at the petite princess's fiery defence of their actions. "I suppose not." He agreed. "But nevertheless, we should probably head back. I'm sure my master will be wondering where I am."

Zaya nodded and fell into step next to Obi-Wan. Her hand purposely brushed against the young Jedi's hand and he extended his fingers in invitation, letting the princess's fingers intertwine with her own. They slowly walked back towards the castelle, hand in hand, both privately wishing that this moment would last forever.


	2. Two

Obi-Wan quietly moved down the corridor, his well worn in boots combined with his years of training making little noise on the wooden floor. He knew it was late and he felt a little tightening of nervousness in the pit of his stomach as he knew he was likely to face questions from his master that he did not particularly want to answer. He was hoping that he would be able to slip in unnoticed.

He quietly opened the door, turning the old fashioned handle with as much control as he could on the unfamiliar piece of hardware. He felt the bolt retract with a quiet snick and opened the door just enough for his small body to fit through.

"Have a nice evening, Padawan?" Qui-Gon's deep voice suddenly filled the room.

Obi-Wan visibly startled, shock clearly evident in his expression. Qui-Gon must have been heavily shielding himself as he had not sensed the man prior to entering his quarters. He quickly tamped down on the feeling and schooled his features into as close a semblance of Jedi serenity as he could. He inserted his hands into opposite sleeves of his cloak and nervously fidgeted with a hem as he observed the tall man relaxed in a comfortable chair in the corner of the room, trying to figure out just how much he knew or suspected. But as expected, the Jedi master was unreadable, and wasn't giving anything away.

"Yes, Master. I have learned much about the history of Namore and Riverhaven Castelle." Obi-Wan replied as smoothly as possible.

"I'm glad to hear it." Qui-Gon replied, still unreadable. He rose from the chair. "You should prepare for bed, we are going to have a full day tomorrow. And I anticipate that you may have some things to meditate upon."

Obi-Wan felt his cheeks colouring as Qui-Gon disappeared through the passageway between their adjoining rooms. Qui-Gon had one thing completely correct - there was much to meditate on indeed.

-X-X-X-X-

The next morning, Obi-Wan awoke to a loud knock at the door. He was still deeply asleep, as he had struggled to fall asleep the night before and it took him a few long seconds to fully rouse himself. He rolled out of bed just before the door swung open and a young attendant dressed in a plain white tunic entered with a tray of food. She greeted him with a respectful bow of her head, placing the tray on a table across the room.

"Thank you." Obi-Wan said.

The attendant quickly exited the room and Obi-Wan, prompted by the growling of his stomach, headed over to investigate the tray. He picked up a slice of muja fruit and was about to eat it when he was interrupted.

"Good morning, Padawan."

Obi-Wan startled. Again. Either he was really on edge at the moment or his master was deliberately shielding from him again. Either option was equally likely at this point in time.

"Good morning, Master." Obi-Wan said as calmly as he could, turning to greet the taller man.

"We shall start the day with a shared meditation." Qui-Gon instructed.

Obi-Wan, still holding the slice of much desired muja fruit, opened his mouth to protest, but was swiftly silenced by the firm look on Qui-Gon's face.

"Yes, master." He said dolefully, placing the muja slice back on the plate before joining Qui-Gon on the floor, sitting in his customary lotus meditation position.

Obi-Wan's meditation session was short and unsatisfying, and his frustration was quite evident to the Jedi master sitting opposite him. He emerged from the meditation with a sigh, dropping his hands in his lap, eyes downcast.

"Anything you would like to talk about, Padawan mine?" Qui-Gon asked gently.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, Master." He said. "I can handle it. I'm just a little...distracted. I'll do better next time."

Qui-Gon observed his young padawan for a long moment. "I'm sure you will." He said before placing a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. "Eat now and then dress, we will be fetched shortly for the official treaty renewal negotiations."

"Yes, master." Obi-Wan said, wasting no time in returning to the platter of food as Qui-Gon disappeared back through the passageway.

Shortly proved to be very short indeed as Obi-Wan barely had time to dress and polish off the food before there was another knock at the door. He licked the sweet muja juice off his fingers and wiped his hand on a cleansing wipe before opening the door to reveal the same attendant that had brought him his breakfast. Waiting in the hallway was Qui-Gon, accompanied by another attendant.

The two attendants led the way through the castelle and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan obediently followed to a wooden door set into the stonework. They approached from one direction, and as they arrived at the door, King Jondar and another man as elegantly dressed as the king approached, followed by two more attendants dressed in white tunics. The two men were laughing loudly about something, their laughter echoing off the stone walls.

"Good morning!" King Jondar said enthusiastically, eyes still sparkling with mirth from what he had just been laughing at with the other man. "This is King Rolan of Lagandelle Castelle."

Obi-Wan observed the two kings. King Jondar was short and dark-haired, while King Rolan was the opposite in appearance, being tall and fair-haired. They both, however, seemed to be of amicable disposition and appeared to be well acquainted with each other.

"Let's get the proceedings underway." King Jondar said, turning to push open the wooden door they stood beside.

The two kings entered, followed by Qui-Gon then Obi-Wan, with the two attendants trailing behind. Obi-Wan looked around the room in confusion. He was expecting a meeting room with a table and chairs, as he was accustomed to in these types of situations, but this room was devoid of any furniture aside from four wooden stools, two on each side of the room. The two kings and Qui-Gon all sat on a stool each and the attendants began to remove their boots. Obi-Wan, bewildered by this unexpected turn of events, had to be gently guided to sit down on his stool by his attendant, who began to remove his boots.

Obi-Wan shot Qui-Gon a look of utter confusion yet all he got back from his master was a pulse down their bond which clearly said relax.

Boots were removed and the other three men stood and turned to face the wall. Attempting to relax as instructed, Obi-Wan followed along until he felt slender hands pulling at his cloak, slipping it from his shoulders. His first instinct was to prevent this, however a sideways glance at his master showed that the man was allowing this unprecedented action to occur, so he also acquiesced.

The clock was quickly and neatly folded and placed on the wooden stool and Obi-Wan felt his belt loosening and being removed, followed by his tunic, which was also neatly folded and added to the pile. He surreptitiously glanced again at his master, who was in a similar state of undress. He felt his face flush with uncontrolled embarrassment as his attendant loosened the tie of his pants and removed them, leaving him clad only in his undergarments. She began to remove them, but he grasped the waistband, preventing them from lowering.

"I'll do it." He whispered to her.

The attendant stopped as requested and quickly pressed a towel into the padawan's hands, seemingly understanding of the teenager's embarrassment.

Obi-Wan wrapped his towel around his waist, sliding his undergarments down beneath the thick material.

The attendants disappeared into the next room and the three men followed, Obi-Wan trailling after, clutching protectively at his towel lest it decide to loosen itself and fall to the floor of its own accord, wondering what sort of mortifying experience awaited him in the next room.

The next room was a little larger and instead of four wooden stools, there were four large wooden benches, an attendant standing at one end of each bench The two kings and Qui-Gon immediately went and lay down on their stomachs on three of the four benches, leaving a still thoroughly confused Obi-Wan to follow suit, feeling rather vulnerable with his lack of clothing and back unprotected. He did not feel any danger in the Force, but that did not prevent him from startling as he felt warm, oily hands touch his back and the smell of a relaxing fragrant concoction fill the air. The hands slid up and down his back, over muscles tensed ready to jump. He belatedly realised that this was supposed to be a massage, a relaxation technique he had heard of, but never experienced.

Relax. A soothing baritone laced with amusement spoke in Obi-Wan's mind, accompanied by a soft burst of Force-induced relaxation.

So his master was obviously enjoying himself. Both the massage as well as the mortification of his young padawan. Surely there was something against this in the code.

Letting out a long calming breath and allowing his master's pulse of Force relaxation wash over him, Obi-Wan gradually felt himself relaxing as his attendant's hands kneaded muscle tightly knotted from years of daily training, and eventually actually began to feel a small modicum of enjoyment from the attendant's expert ministrations.

But there was still the matter of the treaty renewal which they were supposedly there for.

After a while, the deft hands disappointingly disappeared from Obi-Wan's back and for a moment, he was reluctant to move. He felt more relaxed than he had ever felt in his life. And more than he would probably ever feel again.

"You can get up now." A soft feminine voice spoke in his ear.

The wooden benches creaked as they all rose from their prone positions, King Jondar letting out a satisfied sound as he stretched. Obi-Wan clutched his towel tightly to him again and manoeuvred himself off the bench as modestly as possible.

King Jondar and King Rolan disappeared through yet another door.

Qui-Gon looked at his apprentice, patting him on the back with a firm hand. "Enjoying yourself yet?" He asked, a mirthful glint in his eyes.

Obi-Wan ignored the question lest he accidentally unleash the unbecomingly sarcastic answer that was on the tip of his tongue and instead answered the question with another question. "What about the treaty?"

"Patience, my young padawan." Qui-Gon asked, using the hand on Obi-Wan's back to steer his reluctant apprentice towards the doorway where the kings had just disappeared through.

The next room contained a large in-ground pool, steam rising lazily off the heated water. Obi-Wan stepped into the room just in time to see two very pale, very naked kingly rear ends disappearing into the steaming water.

Obi-Wan stopped so quickly that Qui-Gon would have walked right into him had he not had Force-enhanced reactions, and a hunch that his mortified padawan would do just that.

Now seated in the hot pool, King Jondar turned around and spotted the two Jedi in the doorway. "Come on in." He invited, motioning them over. "The water is divine."

Obi-Wan felt the hand at his back apply pressure, attempting to nudge him forwards, but he held his ground.

"Master." He said quietly in protest, trying so very hard not to sound like a whiny child.

"Padawan." Came the firm reply, along with a slightly harder nudge to his back, forcing him to take a step forwards towards the pool.

They reached the edge of the pool perpendicular to King Jondar and opposite King Rolan and Obi-Wan stopped, looking in at the clear water. It did look somewhat inviting, if he were to ignore the fact that there were two naked kings currently sitting in the water. Qui-Gon stepped up next to him and out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan noticed him beginning to loosen his towel in preparation to enter the water. Ever modest, Obi-Wan averted his gaze as quickly as he could. He did not need to see that side of his master right now. Or ever.

"Padawan." Qui-Gon said, now seated comfortably in the water. "Please join us." To an outside observer, Qui-Gon's tone was level and measured, but to Obi-Wan, it was clear that he really meant Get your rear end in this water now.

With a small amount of Force manipulation to position his towel and a large dose of teenage modesty, Obi-Wan was able to manoeuvre himself successfully into the pool a good distance away from the other occupants.

"Ah, now we can get down to business." King Jondar said, casually leaning against the side of the pool, his arms spread out, resting along the ledge. "Master Qui-Gon, if you would please begin."

"Certainly." Qui-Gon said. "Do you, King Jondar, swear to uphold the Treaty of Namore, to maintain the peace of the world, and to provide assistance to those of Lagandelle in times of need?"

"I do." King Jondar answered.

"And do you, King Rolan swear to uphold the Treaty of Namore, to maintain the peace of the world, and to provide assistance to those of Riverhaven in times of need?"

"I do." King Rolan answered.

An attendant stepped forward with an old parchment document and an old fashioned quill pen in an inkwell on a tray. She knelt down next to King Jondar who removed the pen from the inkwell, taking care to wipe off the excess ink from the pen so that he would not drip ink on the paper as he signed his name.

The attendant then moved over to King Rolan, who performed the same actions.

"Congratulations, the Treaty of Namore has been recognised by the Republic as being renewed for another ten years, as according to the stipulations set out within." Qui-Gon said, completing his legal requirements.

"Good." King Jondar said. "The boring part is over. Time for the relaxing." He let himself slip down further, allowing the hot water to come up to the tip of his chin as he lay his head back against a curved head rest in the stonework. He closed his eyes and let out a long relaxing breath. "Ahh, this is the life." He proclaimed.

Despite his misgivings and his complete discomfort with the situation that was so far outside of his norm, Obi-Wan did find himself relaxing. He just had to keep his eyes firmly fixed to eye level or preferably elsewhere. And sit as far away from everyone else as possible. As he soaked in the relaxing hot water, he felt his mind wander. He wasn't usually so undisciplined, and it had been a long time since he was so unfocused, however the combination of an unrestful sleep, the remnants of Qui-Gon's pulse of Force-induced relaxation, the massage and the hot water, not to mention the events that transpired the previous night definitely were not conducive to his usual sharp focus.

His mind wandered to a certain dark haired princess, thinking about the time they had spent together the previous night. And the kiss. He had always assumed that as a Jedi that he would never experience anything like that, given the commitment that he had made to the Order, but here he was, having been kissed for the first time, and by a princess no less.

He was conflicted, to put it lightly.

And, he noticed slightly belatedly, these were not thoughts he should be thinking about at the moment, as he felt his body begin to respond in a manner that was definitely not appropriate at the present moment with the present company.

The here and now, Padawan. Qui-Gon's lightly warning tone echoed through their bond, obviously noticing his apprentice's preoccupation.

Obi-Wan quickly tuned back into the conversation, blushing fiercely, desperately hoping that he had shielded effectively enough for his master to not guess at the contents of his thoughts.

"How are you enjoying your stay here on Namore?" King Rolan asked, directing the question at Obi-Wan.

"It is an amazing place." Obi-Wan answered. "I have seen a great number of interesting things."

"Ah yes, I am told that we are a very unique place." King Rolan replied. "But we have no desire to change our way of life with space travel and technology. We are content with the simplicity of our existence."

"There is a different ambience here. It feels...restful. At peace. It is quite unlike anywhere else I have been." Obi-Wan commented. He had not been to many places yet in his short time as a padawan, but this place did have a distinctive feel to it. Something which he actually hadn't really thought about until this moment.

"It wasn't always this way. Just a mere hundred and twenty years ago the two kingdoms were at constant war." King Rolan explained. "Then during one war, both kings ended up facing each other in battle. They each landed a simultaneous killing blow. The heir to each kingdom did not like the way that they were living so they met in secret and attempted forge a way forward so the kingdoms could live in peace. But it was difficult as there was a long history of hatred between the two kingdoms. The next day, as if sent from the gods themselves, a spacecraft crash landed not far from Riverhaven. It was the first time that this world had ever seen people from faraway worlds. In the craft were two Jedi, a master and an apprentice. The people were in awe of the Jedi and they were able to successfully negotiate a lasting peace between the kingdoms. This is why we renew the Treaty every ten years, to honour the sacrifice made by our ancestors and the gift the Jedi have given us of a peaceful existence."

"Your master has informed us that this type of mission is well outside what you would be used to." King Jondar said.

"Well this is the first time I have attended negotiations partially submerged in a hot pool." Obi-Wan said, attempting to joke to cover his lingering embarrassment.

The kings both laughed loudly. "Yes well, we do like to live in comfort." King Jondar said. "And what better place to have a treaty renewal, in a place where we literally have nothing to hide!"

-X-X-X-X-

Back at his quarters later that morning, Obi-Wan sat in the middle of the floor, lotus style, trying to meditate but was not any more successful than he had been earlier. There was too much flurrying around his mind to focus.

With a sigh, he rose from the floor and decided to exercise instead. He sank into the beginning stance of a basic kata, one designed to be used in a small space that focused on slow stretching and strengthening. He flowed through the movements, bringing his attention completely to his body and acutely feeling and analysing every tiny movement each muscle, tendon, ligament and joint made. He finished the kata and flowed straight into a second repetition, this time at half pace, deliberately not using the Force to enhance his strength or stabilise himself so that he had to rely only on his own innate strength and balance to move through the positions.

"Padawan."

Obi-Wan was concentrating on holding a particularly difficult inverted pose, and as a result was taken completely unaware by his master. For the third time in one day. He startled, wobbled wildly but regained his balance somewhat ungracefully. He returned both feet to the ground and crossed his arms across his chest, eyebrows furrowed together in a scowl.

"Are you intending to trigger a cardiac arrest or otherwise injure me?" Obi-Wan snapped, frustrated.

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow at his padawan's outburst but chose to save it for a later time. "I was not shielding this time."

"Ah so you were shielding before!"

Qui-Gon again did not respond to Obi-Wan's remark. "Walk with me, Padawan." He instructed, voice calm but leaving no room for discussion.

They walked towards the gardens, the taller, calmer Jedi forging the way for the shorter, more frustrated Jedi to follow in his wake. They exited the far end of the gardens underneath the archway, strode across the field and onto the trail alongside the river when Qui-Gon suddenly stopped, turning to look at his young apprentice. Obi-Wan's cheeks began to subtly flush as he recognised the spot as being the same place where he had stopped the previous night.

"Obi-Wan, I think you have something you need to talk to me about." Qui-Gon said softly in his soothing baritone.

Obi-Wan suddenly found the small scuff on the toe of his boot very interesting, but his inspection of the imperfection was interrupted by a hand on his chin gently lifting his head so he was staring into the strong blue eyes of Qui-Gon.

"Yes, Master. I, uh..." Obi-Wan paused and let out a long breath, not knowing how to proceed. "I think I may have failed you and the Jedi Order."

Qui-Gon stifled a chuckle. "That's a big assumption, Padawan mine."

"My conduct was ill becoming of a Jedi." Obi-Wan said. "I behaved inappropriately with Princess Zaya." He paused. "I kissed her." He added quietly.

Qui-Gon paused for a moment to observe his subdued apprentice. "Obi-Wan, this is a trial most Jedi have to go through." He spoke gently. "It is a natural thing to feel attraction towards others and it is difficult to set aside those feelings. Do you understand why it is not wise for a Jedi to form romantic relationships?"

"Attachment leads to fear of loss." Obi-Wan recited words that had been ingrained in him since he was a youngling but had not yet had occasion to ponder them in more depth. "But how can something that is wrong feel so right? And I have not formed an attachment, and I will likely not see Princess Zaya again once we leave here."

"Attachment does not just encompass a relationship, it can also encompass feelings. Attraction to another can be a powerful and addictive feeling and it can be easy to form an attachment to it because it often does feel right because it is such a natural thing. But we as Jedi must guard our hearts against this as it can compromise us in ways that cannot be predicted."

Obi-Wan nodded mutely while he considered what his master had said. He remembered how good it felt to be with Zaya and the feeling of her lips on his. It disheartened him to know that he would not be able to feel that again. "I understand." He admitted. "But it is difficult."

Qui-Gon placed his hands on Obi-Wan's shoulders. "It is not meant to be easy, young one." He said gently. "Knowledge may rectify ignorance, but it doesn't make the burden any easier to bear. You have a compassionate heart. It will test you multiple times and you will grow stronger each time."

"Yes, master." Came the melancholy reply.

"My first experience was when I was not much older than you." Qui-Gon said after a pause, deciding that his mournful apprentice needed some solidarity. "I became besotted with a girl that my master and I had liberated from slavery and were transporting to a refugee development on another planet. She was beautiful and feisty and passionate. We spent a lot of time together and I could not think about anything else for days, even after we had parted ways. It was only when I had my behind kicked all across the dojo by Master Dooku because I was so distracted, followed by some firm words around the folly of attachment that I snapped out of it. But it is not easy, Padawan mine. I will freely admit to you that at times I indulge a little too deeply in the realm of attachment and this is a failing I recognise in myself, but I would be remiss if I did not warn you of the consequences as these can be steep."

Obi-Wan bowed his head in gratitude. "Thank you, Master. I appreciate your insight."

Qui-Gon nodded, reaching his arm around Obi-Wan's shoulders and giving him a slight squeeze before guiding him to resume their walk. "Now that that issue is discussed, I have one more matter to discuss...the consequences of your sharp tongue."

Obi-Wan groaned inwardly. He knew that his thoughtless comments would catch up with him. "Yes, master."

"Do you see that tall tree in the distance?"

Obi-Wan squinted. There was a tiny splodge that could have been a small tree. "I think so."

"Good. Run there and back five times."

-X-X-X-X-

The evening brought with it a large celebration to mark the renewal of the Treaty. The banquet hall was packed full of people and there was enough food on the table to feed them all twice over at least.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were seated together today, as guests of honour in between the King and Queen of Riverhaven and the King and Queen of Lagandelle. Obi-Wan spotted Zaya sitting in the same place as she had been the previous night. She looked over to him and smiled shyly.

After enjoying yet another hearty meal, Obi-Wan devoured his third muja tart with satisfaction. He knew that Qui-Gon would not be happy with his indulgence, but when it was Queen Catrine that kept on placing them on his plate, having noticed how much he had enjoyed his first one, he could not refuse.

King Jondar stood and clapped his hands twice for attention. "And now for the fun part!" He announced, and large double side doors were opened and lively upbeat music began playing from inside the room.

There was a sudden kerfuffle of excited chatter and chairs scraping on the floor as people pushed away from the table and made their way to the dancing hall. Obi-Wan trailed after Qui-Gon and the two kings and queens into the large, extravagantly decorated room filled with people dancing energetically.

Obi-Wan took up a post standing next to his master at the edge of the room, watching the dancing. He had never really observed dancing like this before, it was not really something that Jedi did. It looked rather chaotic to him. He saw Zaya in the middle of the dance floor, dancing with a boy he did not recognise.

"You should join in." Qui-Gon commented to his apprentice.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened in surprise at the suggestion. "I don't know how."

"Nonsense." Qui-Gon scoffed. "It's just like a kata." He strode onto the dance floor and approached Queen Catrine, who was dancing with King Jondar, extending out a hand as a request for a dance. King Jondar laughed and thumped the older Jedi on the back, leaving Qui-Gon to dance with the queen. Obi-Wan watched for a while and had to admit that Qui-Gon did dance rather well.

Obi-Wan looked over to Zaya again as the song finished and saw that she and her dance partner had finished dancing and they were bowing and curtsying to each other. Taking his chance, he walked purposefully across the dance floor to where the dark haired princess was standing. She smiled shyly when she saw him approaching.

"May I have this dance." Obi-Wan asked, offering a hand towards the princess in the same manner as he had just seen Qui-Gon do.

Zaya placed her hand in Obi-Wan's and smiled up at him. "I would love to."

Obi-Wan mimicked the arm position of the other dancers, interconnecting his arms with Zaya's. "I have to confess that I have not ever danced like this before."

Zaya giggled. "You'll do fine. I can show you."

Zaya began the steps of the dance and Obi-Wan followed her lead, finding it not so dissimilar to learning a new kata, just as Qui-Gon had said. It wasn't long before he had the basic steps memorised and he felt himself relaxing more into the flowing movements.

"You're a natural." Zaya commented.

Obi-Wan smiled at the compliment. "In a way, I've trained many years for this. It's not too different from basic lightsaber footwork."

They danced in silence for a long moment.

"I need to apologise to you." They both said simultaneously before laughing and breaking the tension.

Zaya continued first. "I'm sorry for the position I put you in last night. I was enjoying your company, I guess I just got caught up in the moment. I didn't think about how it might impact you."

"And I apologise for letting it go so far. We are sheltered from such interactions growing up at the Jedi Temple and I did not know how to appropriately respond. I was also enjoying your company." His lips quirked up into a smile. "And I still am enjoying your company."

"Me too." Zaya replied, returning his smile.

-X-X-X-X-

The next morning, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon stood next to the same carriage that had transported them to the castelle just two days ago. King Jondar would accompany them back to the landing pad and Queen Catrine, Princess Zaya and the other royal children were lined up outside the castelle gates in the same way they had upon their arrival, only this time to bid farewell to their interplanetary visitors.

Qui-Gon bade farewell to Queen Catrine and Obi-Wan took the opportunity to talk with Princess Zaya.

"It was very nice to meet you." He said with a polite bow of his head.

"And I you." Zaya replied. "I will remember you fondly."

Obi-Wan smiled. "And I you."

"Padawan." Qui-Gon called.

Obi-Wan looked over to where Qui-Gon was standing next to a tall brown equus, his hand resting on the creature's muscular back. The equus snorted and shook its head.

"You were rather interested in the equi when we arrived, so I took the liberty of arranging for you to ride one on the way back to the landing pad." Qui-Gon explained.

Obi-Wan grinned and made his way over to the equus, who seemed interested in the newcomer. He ran a hand down its long neck and shoulder and talked softly to the creature before climbing up into the riding seat strapped atop its back and grasping the reins.

Qui-Gon and King Jondar stepped into the carriage and the driver directed the equi to pull out onto the grassy field in the direction of the landing pad. Obi-Wan followed, quickly getting accustomed to the unusual movement of the equus. He enjoyed the experience and the ride back to the landing pad seemed altogether far too short.

"Thank you very much for your assistance." King Jondar said to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.

"It is our pleasure to serve." Qui-Gon replied dutifully and both Jedi bowed respectfully to the king before turning and boarding their spacecraft.

Obi-Wan took up the pilot's seat again upon Qui-Gon's instruction and neatly flew the craft out of the planet's atmosphere and into space. He selected the pre-programmed coordinates for Coruscant and they made the jump into hyperspace.

"Tell me, Padawan, what is something you have learned from this mission." Qui-Gon turned to question his apprentice once the craft was on autopilot.

"Not to listen to my master when he tries to distract me by making out that hyperspace calculus is more important than researching the mission." Obi-Wan quipped.

Qui-Gon chuckled. "Very wise, my Padawan, I will have to be more cunning next time I intend to distract you."

"The planet had such a different feel to it from anywhere I've ever been before. The Force felt like it flowed more freely there. Is it because of their large expanse of natural environment? Or maybe their lack of technology?"

"That is a good observation of the Living Force, Padawan." Qui-Gon commented. "You are correct on both counts, but there is more to it as well. While they do have a expansive untarnished natural environment and a lack of technology, they also live in peace. It is not often that we are called to visit a truely peaceful world, so it is not something you would get to experience often."

"It was nice to be in a place where the Force flowed so easily." Obi-Wan commented. "Although I don't think I took advantage of it as I should have. I allowed myself to become too distracted."

"There are other worlds that are even more abundant in the Force. I will take you to some of these places one day." Qui-Gon said. "What is one other thing you learned?"

"That missions that appear to be simple will have their own set of challenges." Obi-Wan said, blushing slightly.

Qui-Gon nodded. "I am aware of how uncomfortable you felt during the treaty renewal process and you are correct, I did deliberately distract you so that you were unaware of what to expect. A Jedi must always be flexible and prepared to meet the unexpected with strength and grace, not just in battle, but also when it comes to local customs."

"Yes, master." Obi-Wan replied, acknowledging the feedback. "I have a lot to learn and a lot of meditate on."

"Yes, you do, young one. But do not rush to learn it all otherwise I will have nothing left to teach." Qui-Gon joked, reaching over to place his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and give it a slight squeeze. "Anyway, I believe you still have some unfinished hyperspace calculus work to complete."


End file.
